The Force Awakens
[Preached at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in San Diego, CA on Christmas Eve, 2017] The Force Awakens A long time ago in a civilization far, far away, a hero named…
The God of Detours
How common it is to experience disappointment and a sense of abandonment by God when we adopt a course that we believed to be God’s will, only to experience it…
Truth Shall Spring Up from The Earth
[Sermon preached at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church on 8/13/2017 in San Diego, CA] My usual sermon preparation work begins two weeks before a sermon, when I look at the readings.…
Preaching While White
I recently returned from an international preaching conference titled “Preaching on the Borders” in San Antonio, Texas. The conference is a combination of worship sessions with preaching from stellar preachers,…
Repairing the Breach and Restoring the Streets
[Sermon delivered at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, San Diego, on 2/5/2017] My sisters and brothers in Christ, Our country is deeply divided. Americans either love or HATE the movie…
When Imperfection Is Perfect
I recently returned from my uncle’s funeral, at which his longtime companion Betsy said to me, “Sometimes I read your blog.” “Wow,” I said. “I haven’t written there for a…
The God of Slow Time
In January, I was the recipient of a great privilege: over three weeks of vacation and rest between my previous post at All Saints Church and my new post as rector…
Run for the Border
[This sermon was preached at All Saints Church in Pasadena, CA on my final Sunday there on January 3, 2016 before I leave to assume my duties as Rector of…
Pregnant with Transition
In our Gospel reading for December 20 (Luke 1:39-55), we hear of the meeting of two pregnant women, Mary and her relative Elizabeth. Pregnant women often compare notes, to find…
Learning to Walk in the Dark
Recently, I have been thinking about being in the dark, both the literal darkness of short days and the figurative darkness of uncertainty and worry. That’s because I just read…
Give it up for God
[This sermon was preached on Oct. 11, 2015, at All Saints Church in Pasadena, CA] To listen to the sermon on giving up the nonessential in our lives for God,…
Why I Opposed a Commemoration of Franciscan Friar Junipero Serra
As Pope Francis prepares to canonize the Franciscan Friar Junipero Serra, some are protesting and some are celebrating the “first Hispanic saint” of the U.S. As a graduate of Junipero…
Christians without Borders
Between the worldwide refugee crisis and the discussion of U.S. immigration in our presidential debates, we are faced with the question of how we respond to those who cross the borders…
Drinking Our Fill of the Spirit [Text and Video]
“What Jesus means is that to truly have life, we must drink deeply of the life of the Spirit. This means entering fully into the Passion of Life, the struggle for liberation and salvation. Otherwise, this becomes a highly stylized ritual with no real meaning—people drinking from golden goblets in palaces, secure in their privilege.”
Gospel on the Ground 